Method of fabricating brake assembly

Abstract

A method to fabricate an integrated elevator drive machine and brake assembly is disclosed. In the method, an outer wall segment of a drive machine housing is cast to form a base of a brake assembly. In casting the outer wall segment to form the base of the brake assembly, a metal blank of higher magnetic permeability is cast or embedded into the casing of the outer wall segment and is machined to form the base. Alternately, the casting of the outer wall segment may be dimensioned and configured so that the casting of the outer wall segment itself forms the base. The outer wall segment is secured for machining a bearing assembly counterbore and, without unsecuring the wall segment from the machining operation, the base of the disc brake assembly is machined to form the groove for housing a magnetic coil, a plurality of bores to house the brake springs, and a plurality of bolt bores. Precise relative alignment of the grooves, spring bores, stud bores, and bearing assembly counterbore is efficiently achieved by contemporaneous machining operations.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of fabricating the base of a disc brake assembly of an elevator drive machine having a housing with an outer wall comprising the steps of: casting an outer wall segment of the drive machine housing to provide a base;   securing the outer wall segment for machining operations;   cutting a bearing assembly counterbore in said outer wall segment;   cutting a groove for housing a magnetic coil about said bearing assembly counterbore;   drilling a plurality of bores to house brake springs and   unsecuring the outer wall segment from machining operations after said cutting and drilling steps.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of cutting a groove comprises performing a cut of sufficient roughness to facilitate adhesive mounting of a magnetic coil within said annular groove. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 2 further comprising positioning a magnetic coil within said groove and applying adhesive material to the magnetic coil and annular groove to bond the magnetic coil within said groove. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of cutting a groove further comprises configuring the groove to provide a keyed interlock with a magnetic coil mounted within the groove. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1 comprising drilling a plurality of bolt holes in said outer wall segment prior to unsecuring the outer wall segment from machining operations. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of casting an outer wall segment comprises casting a base element of higher magnetic permeability than said outer wall segment within the outer wall segment;   the step of cutting a bearing assembly counterbore comprises cutting said counterbore in said base element;   the step of cutting a groove comprises cutting said groove in said base element and   the step of drilling a plurality of bores comprises drilling said bores in said base element.   
     
     
       7. The method of claim 6 comprising drilling a plurality of bolt holes in said base element prior to unsecuring the outer wall segment from machining operations. 
     
     
       8. A method of fabricating the base of a disc brake assembly of an elevator drive machine having a housing with an outer wall comprising the steps of: casting an outer wall segment of the drive machine housing to provide a base;   cutting a beating assembly counterbore in said outer wall segment; and   cutting a groove for housing a magnetic coil about said bearing assembly counterbore, wherein the step of curing a groove comprises performing a cut of sufficient roughness to facilitate adhesive mounting of a magnetic coil within said groove.   
     
     
       9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of drilling a plurality of bores to house brake springs. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 8, further comprising positioning a magnetic coil within said groove and applying adhesive material to the magnetic coil and groove to bond the magnetic coil within said groove. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 8, comprising drilling a plurality of bolt holes in said outer wall segment. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of casting an outer wall segment comprises casting a base element of higher magnetic permeability than said outer wall segment within the outer wall segment;   the step of cutting a bearing assembly counterbore comprises cutting said counterbore in said base element; and   the step of cutting a groove comprises cutting said groove in said base element.   
     
     
       13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of drilling a plurality of bores in said base element to house brake springs. 
     
     
       14. A method of fabricating the base of a disc brake assembly of an elevator drive machine having a housing with an outer wall comprising the steps of: casting an outer wall segment of the drive machine housing to provide a base;   cutting a bearing assembly counterbore in said outer wall segment; and   cutting a groove for housing a magnetic coil about said bearing assembly counterbore, wherein the step of cutting a groove further comprises configuring the groove to provide a keyed interlock with a magnetic coil mounted within the groove.   
     
     
       15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of drilling a plurality of bores to house brake springs. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 14, comprising drilling a plurality of bolt holes in said outer wall segment. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of casting an outer wall segment comprises casting a base element of higher magnetic permeability than said outer wall segment within the outer wall segment;   the step of cutting a bearing assembly counterbore comprises cutting said counterbore in said base element;   the step of cutting a groove comprises cutting said groove in said base element.   
     
     
       18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising a step of drilling a plurality of bores in said base element to house brake springs.